Wales

ARTICLES ABOUT WALES BY DATE - PAGE 5

MELBOURNE, June 28 (Reuters) - A Brisbane court has given Wales prop Craig Mitchell a suspended jail term for six months and fined him A$1,800 ($1,700) for assaulting a man at a local bar after the British and Irish Lions' victory over Australia in the opening test. Capped 15 times, Mitchell was in Brisbane to watch the Lions game last Saturday after touring Japan with Wales. Mitchell, 27, was also ordered by the Brisbane Magistrates Court to pay A$3,000 in compensation to the Brisbane resident.

By Mike Collett LONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale was named England's Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association on Thursday. The Wales international, 23, topped the poll of journalists with a narrow victory over Manchester United's Dutch international forward Robin van Persie, who won it last year when he was at Arsenal. Chelsea's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata came third. Bale is the first Spurs player to win the world's oldest individual award since David Ginola in 1999 and the first Wales international to claim it since Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall in 1985.

Wales would be the ideal place to learn the Welsh language, but Elmhurst is a lot closer, especially for a group - mostly Americans, who will be in the city this summer to learn the Celtic language and delve into the country's culture, music and dance. The group Cymdeithas Madog, will hold a weeklong language class at Elmhurst College in July. Coincidentally, another group, Welsh Heritage Week, also is holding a week of classes in the Welsh culture at the college. Though it was a fluke that both selected the college for their events, the two groups decided to take advantage of their proximity and will have a couple days of overlapping activities.

LONDON (Reuters) - Welsh coach Chris Coleman said the national side had uncovered another gem following the sparkling performance of midfielder Jonathan Williams in the last-gasp 2-1 defeat by Croatia in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday. Wales already boast one of world football's hottest properties in Gareth Bale, who Coleman joked could be shunted from the headlines by 19-year-old Williams when their next qualifier comes around in September. "In the next couple of trips you will be asking me about Johnny as much as you do about Gareth," said Coleman.

(Reuters) - Croatia struck twice in the last 13 minutes to beat Wales 2-1 in an entertaining World Cup Group A qualifier in Swansea on Tuesday. Dejan Lovren and Eduardo scored to keep Croatia level with Belgium at the top of the standings and inflict a major blow to Wales's hopes of reaching the World Cup. "We made too many mistakes but after throwing an extra man forward we dominated and deserved our win after showing character," Lovren told...

(Reuters) - Elated after their emotional 2-0 home win over Serbia, Croatia visit Wales for a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday knowing they can ill-afford to rest on their laurels with Group A rivals Belgium also flying high. The pair are locked on 13 points at the top after much-fancied Belgium strolled to a 2-0 win in Macedonia on Friday when Croatia were celebrating victory over their neighbours. Inspirational playmaker Luka Modric said the Croatians would have more than just his former Tottenham Hotspur team mate Gareth Bale to worry about against Wales, who beat Scotland 2-1 away on Friday to lie third.